2010 Winter Testing

[Shaddock]

I just wish that the teams were allowed to do 2 car pre season tests again.

What id like to see for 2011 for pre season:

* All cars launched for end of January
* 6 official tests between 4 tracks, Barceloan, Jerez, Valencia (Circuit Ricardo Tormo), Portamao.
* Teams to have last 2 tests as single car tests, before that they can have 2 car tests if they want.
* First 3 tests to be 3 day tests, last 3 tests to be 3 day tests
* Tests must be equally split between race drivers and test drivers, 7 days testing each (In order to get a reserve up to speed with the car before season, avoid the Badoer/Grosjean situation before the season starts)
* Shakedowns of cars must be done at an apporved FIA track in that teams base country and be limited to no more than 20 full laps of that track.

Mid season, id like to see this:

* Three 3 day tests at Jerez, Portamao and Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
* Only third/test/development drivers can test on theese days.
* 100 laps a day maximum distance.
* Each team must attend one test.

Lets get the test rules a little looser in areas, but a little tighter in others. Id like to see more testing, but in a economically sustainable way and in a way where all the drivers can get the feel of the cars they drive, and where improvements can be rapidly made, but rapidly made after every 4th GP where new parts can be added, so GP No6, No10 and No14 are the only GPs where parts can be added, and a evaluation test will be before each GP. The first 6 Gps will be under end test spec, and the first improvement can only be added once the teams are back for the first GP in Europe. This is the only way i can see where costs can be cut massivly in F1, i do follow a bit of Garry Andersons philosiphy in this area.

I agree with most of your points.

The only part that I have to question is the part about new parts. Teams have to have new elements for the changing downforces of tracks. It would be weird to have no new parts at Monaco - or Monza... Also, you have to allow the teams who do not have the resources of the stronger (i.e. richer) teams to catch up.

How about saying something like "the bottom 8 teams get to bring new parts to any grand prix"?

Without changing the front wishbones to a 'one off' cut down version, the cars wont get round the hairpin at Moanco

[outer_bongolia]

Without changing the front wishbones to a 'one off' cut down version, the cars wont get round the hairpin at Moanco

+1

I will be exaggerating just a little if I say I saw 18 wheelers shorter than these cars. One of the drivers was quoting as saying "it is a limo", forgot whom.

And the length of the cars affect overtaking, too. If the car were 4m instead of 5m long - at least in theory - overtaking would require 20% less time.

[audifan]

well, well , now who is being childish ; as it happens I don't live near valencia , but am willing to put my time and money into going to spain
how that can be interpreted as saying I am being better than anyone else escapes me

obviously I have being mistaken in thinking that people here are interested enough and intelligent enough to want to know what actually is happening ...so be it

if all you want is gossip why join a forum called F1 technical ? start one of your own called F1 nonsense or similar

[ESPImperium]

I just wish that the teams were allowed to do 2 car pre season tests again.

What id like to see for 2011 for pre season:

* All cars launched for end of January
* 6 official tests between 4 tracks, Barceloan, Jerez, Valencia (Circuit Ricardo Tormo), Portamao.
* Teams to have last 2 tests as single car tests, before that they can have 2 car tests if they want.
* First 3 tests to be 3 day tests, last 3 tests to be 3 day tests
* Tests must be equally split between race drivers and test drivers, 7 days testing each (In order to get a reserve up to speed with the car before season, avoid the Badoer/Grosjean situation before the season starts)
* Shakedowns of cars must be done at an apporved FIA track in that teams base country and be limited to no more than 20 full laps of that track.

Mid season, id like to see this:

* Three 3 day tests at Jerez, Portamao and Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
* Only third/test/development drivers can test on theese days.
* 100 laps a day maximum distance.
* Each team must attend one test.

Lets get the test rules a little looser in areas, but a little tighter in others. Id like to see more testing, but in a economically sustainable way and in a way where all the drivers can get the feel of the cars they drive, and where improvements can be rapidly made, but rapidly made after every 4th GP where new parts can be added, so GP No6, No10 and No14 are the only GPs where parts can be added, and a evaluation test will be before each GP. The first 6 Gps will be under end test spec, and the first improvement can only be added once the teams are back for the first GP in Europe. This is the only way i can see where costs can be cut massivly in F1, i do follow a bit of Garry Andersons philosiphy in this area.

I agree with most of your points.

The only part that I have to question is the part about new parts. Teams have to have new elements for the changing downforces of tracks. It would be weird to have no new parts at Monaco - or Monza... Also, you have to allow the teams who do not have the resources of the stronger (i.e. richer) teams to catch up.

How about saying something like "the bottom 8 teams get to bring new parts to any grand prix"?

Never thought of the stronger teams that way. It may be feasable for them to only be allowed one or two updates a year, and the others to update from the 6th GP till say the 14th GP of the year. How this is decided, id say the top 5 teeams the previous season are the ones to be peanalised. But for cost savings id make it that the smaller teams couldnt update for 2 consecutive GPs posibly. Also make it that the 5 top teams from the previous year, on the 3 in-season tests, had to have a development driver that hasnt had any experience in a F1 car in the previous 5 years (and was under 23 or 25 years old at the seasons start date) has to drive the car for 2 out of the 3 days. Thus promoting a youth team/driver development policy, ensuring a steady stream of young and able tallent into the sport.

[mx_tifoso]

Artificial limiations FTL.

If you can't pay to play with the rest then I suggest you go home. I'm all for reducing costs but this is still Formula One, and even if it's not the pinnacle of technology it should still remain the top step of the ladder and not some cheap series that caters to the low funded teams.

[outer_bongolia]

Artificial limiations FTL.

If you can't pay to play with the rest then I suggest you go home. I'm all for reducing costs but this is still Formula One, and even if it's not the pinnacle of technology it should still remain the top step of the ladder and not some cheap series that caters to the low funded teams.

Well, it is not more artificial than limiting everything from engine development to every single dimension of the car. I see the actual artificial limitation when I think of all the fuss over the power of Mercedes engines and how the other manufacturers were allowed to retune their stuff.

I would like to allow more innovation in design and engineering, but do not let anyone who dumps $5e8 for the development of their car to get too far away. The other teams with less $$ would be able to have time to copy the innovations and catch up with them for $1e6...

I think capping the expenses is good, but how can one prevent "volunteers" from "donating" their time and ideas? ...even through sites like this one.

We might be moving off the topic of the winter testing, so I will not write on this again - sorry to cut a possible exciting discussion short.

[Mr Alcatraz]

Excuse me for getting back on topic
Those interested in real comparisons of actual value may find this the most revealing comparison to date!
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/02/15/w ... z-testing/

Schumacher set his best time of the day earlier than anyone else – when the track was cooler and had less rubber on it – suggesting the car’s headline performance may be rather better than his fifth place on the times sheets at the end of the fourth day indicates.

I was watching at turns two and three during this stint and Schumacher was visibly pushing the car’s performance under braking, occasionally pushing it too far and gathering it up again by steering into the slide.

Shortly afterwards the Mercedes W01 rolled to a halt on the back straight. Unconfirmed reports suggested the team allowed the car to run out of fuel to work out how far they can push fuel mileage under race conditions. Whatever the problem was, it was remedied quickly enough to have him back on track again shortly after the session resumed.

[Mr Alcatraz]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/f1/story/0, ... 83,00.html
---
Here we go again
Looks like we may just be inBahrain with many more questions than answers

Preparations for the new season are set to suffer further - and potentially serious - disruption this week with heavy rain forecast for all four days of the upcoming Jerez test.

If the weather forecasters are to be trusted - a somewhat hazardous undertaking itself - then this week's test will fail to witness a single day of dry running. Heavy rain is predicted from Wednesday to Saturday, a forecast that will be greeted with varying degrees of concern and disappointment by the eleven teams scheduled to run :-"

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN-wZ6gdchc[/youtube]

[vall]

Excuse me for getting back on topic
Those interested in real comparisons of actual value may find this the most revealing comparison to date!
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/02/15/w ... z-testing/

Schumacher set his best time of the day earlier than anyone else – when the track was cooler and had less rubber on it – suggesting the car’s headline performance may be rather better than his fifth place on the times sheets at the end of the fourth day indicates.

I was watching at turns two and three during this stint and Schumacher was visibly pushing the car’s performance under braking, occasionally pushing it too far and gathering it up again by steering into the slide.

Shortly afterwards the Mercedes W01 rolled to a halt on the back straight. Unconfirmed reports suggested the team allowed the car to run out of fuel to work out how far they can push fuel mileage under race conditions. Whatever the problem was, it was remedied quickly enough to have him back on track again shortly after the session resumed.

fair analysis but why only the last day? Fred did a very long stint with very good times. This should have been compared with LH and MS long stints (also with others' long run) to get a clearer picture. It seems Ferrari never did a low-fuel run.

[axle]

Schumacher set his best time of the day earlier than anyone else – when the track was cooler and had less rubber on it – suggesting the car’s headline performance may be rather better than his fifth place on the times sheets at the end of the fourth day indicates.

FWIW, He set it about 2 mins before Rubens set a faster one in the FW32.

[Confused_Andy]

Mercedes not to be at the next Jerez test?

We won't be at the test this time but we'll keep you updated as much as possible. We'll be in Barcelona though!

via twitter

http://twitter.com/OfficialMGP

[gibells]

A wise decision if you ask me. We had something like 5 inches of rain only yesterday. If I was making the decisions I'd steer clear of testing in Spain altogether this year. The rain has been unbelievable. Go to Bahrain or something like that I would.

[Fil]

Mercedes not to be at the next Jerez test?

We won't be at the test this time but we'll keep you updated as much as possible. We'll be in Barcelona though!

via twitter

http://twitter.com/OfficialMGP

The team has already confirmed the driver lineup for the 2nd Jerez test (Schumi 17th & 19th, Britney 18th & 20th)

That tweet must have been specifically about Mercedes' tweeter only..

[gibells]

They aren't joking about the 2 inches of rain in the pit-lane though. Seems like a proper waste of time if you ask me.

[Mr Alcatraz]

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/02/15/w ... z-testing/



fair analysis but why only the last day? Fred did a very long stint with very good times. This should have been compared with LH and MS long stints (also with others' long run) to get a clearer picture. It seems Ferrari never did a low-fuel run.

In order to obtain the data for this article, I made notes directly from the timing screens in the media suite. Of course, this is very restricting and time-consuming, so I decided just to follow the dry part of the final day’s testing in the hope it would provide the most recent and reliable information. Ideally, I would have also got the data from the warmer dry running on Thursday, but I wasn’t able to.